The trailer for the upcoming zombie thriller 28 Years Later has recently dropped, building anticipation for its premiere next year. With a reported budget of US$75 million, one might assume that producing a film of this calibre would involve an extensive array of specialised equipment. However, according to WIRED, the sequel to 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later was primarily shot using Apple’s last-gen flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Principal filming for 28 Years Later wrapped in August 2024, with the production team maintaining strict secrecy. Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were enforced to prevent the revelation of the unconventional camera choice. Nevertheless, spy shots from the set in July 2024 provided a significant clue: among 150 captured images, one depicted what appeared to be an iPhone encased in a professional-grade aluminum rig.
WIRED reports that the filming setup included a protective cage outfitted with a lens attachment adapter. Based on the distinctive red adjustment knob visible in the image, it is believed the rig was manufactured by accessory maker Beastgrip, enabling the attachment of full-frame DSLR lenses to the iPhone.
The publication claims that unnamed sources connected to the production acknowledged that the iPhone 15 Pro Max served as the principal camera system for the film. Given the filming timeline, the team selected this model rather than the newer iPhone 16 series, which launched after production concluded. It should be noted that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max support 4K ProRes 60FPS Log video recording, with the option to save files directly to external storage via USB-C for long-term filming.
While the accuracy of WIRED’s claims remains to be confirmed, it is quite impressive that the publication identified this detail from a single spy shot. This subtle clue might have easily been overlooked by others.
28 Years Later is set to premiere in July 2025, directed by Danny Boyle, who also helmed the original 28 Days Later and its 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later. The film stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes
(Source: WIRED)
